Have you observed freshwater mussels in western North America? Are you looking for information on western freshwater mussel distribution or occurrence in your area? The Xerces Society and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation have compiled a database of occurrence records to support research and conservation of freshwater mussels.
This database has improved our understanding of species’ distributions, enabled us to assess the extinction risk of western species, and made it possible to provide agencies and decision-makers with valuable information to support restoration and conservation efforts. Please consider contributing your data to help support this project. Data can be shared with us in a wide variety of formats, but basic information is needed, including:
- The location of the observation (as specific as possible, such as UTMs, an intersection, or another identifiable location),
- The name of the waterbody,
- The date or general time period of the observation, and
- The person(s) who made the observation.
If possible, please also share the species observed. If you don’t know which species you observed, please share a photograph, and we may be able to identify the species for you. Even if you don’t know the species or have a photograph, we can still use your data.
To share your data, please email Emilie Blevins at [email protected].
If you would like to access data from the database (for example, to assist with planning restoration projects, surveys, or research), please email us and provide information on the reason for your interest, the geographic area you would like information for, and the species of interest.
This database has been supported by numerous published and unpublished works and the generous contributions of many individuals. Click here for a link to the full list of contributors.
Recommended Citation: Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation (Xerces) and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Mussel Project (CTUIR). [Year Accessed]. Western Freshwater Mussel Database. Available at https://www.xerces.org/endangered-species/freshwater-mussels/database. List of contributors available at: https://www.xerces.org/endangered-species/freshwater-mussels/database/contributors.